


When Summer Ends

by themadhatter_666



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canonical Character Death, Fluff I Don't Know Her, IT'S VERY SAD, M/M, Season 3 Spoilers, So much angst, Steve Has To Tell His Boyfriend That Their Other Boyfriend Is Dead, i only know how to write angst, the ot3 i deserve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-11
Updated: 2019-07-11
Packaged: 2020-06-26 15:17:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19770937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themadhatter_666/pseuds/themadhatter_666
Summary: Tommy is back from vacation and excited to see his boyfriends after a summer away. Steve has to do the unimaginable. He has to explain to Tommy why Billy isn't there too.





	When Summer Ends

**Author's Note:**

> RIP Billiam you will be missed. I'm a masochist so I like to write about sad things and this made me very sad. I cried.  
> Alexa play Welcome to the Black Parade.

Steve hates this. Hates this more than anything. It was supposed to be a happy day - the best day. Tommy was back from vacation and the three of them were going to be together again. _Like it was meant to be_. Now, though, it wasn’t. _Billy was dead_. Steve had watched Billy die from a balcony not being able to do anything to save him. He couldn’t even go to him, hold him as he died. They took him away without Steve kissing him one last time, telling him he loved him. _Billy was dead_.

One half of his heart was dead, the other half didn’t even know. Steve had to tell him. Steve had to tell Tommy that _Billy was dead_. Steve could feel his throat tighten, his eyes water at the thought. He never thought he’d have to do that. He never thought any of them would die. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Billy deserved better than to be possessed and murdered. He deserved to know he was loved, because he was. So much. Steve and Tommy’s lives were going to be ruined forever. It was meant to be the three of them against the world. Not just Steve and Tommy.

He had spent the past week trying to figure out how to tell Tommy. It ran through his head all the time. He’s broken and now he has to break Tommy. Some part of Steve wishes it was a sick prank, that Billy would pop out at the end scaring the shit out of Tommy. That wasn’t going to happen though, _Billy was dead_. Steve was never going to get used to that. He was never going to be able to accept that _Billy was dead_. It wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right. It didn’t even make sense. It never would.

Steve jumped as the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house. It was time. Tommy was there. Tommy who didn’t want to go on vacation because he wanted to spend the summer with his boys. Tommy who promised that he wouldn’t leave their sides for a week when he got back. _Tommy_. Steve dug his fingernails into his palms as he walks to the door, trying his hardest to blink away the tears. He wishes this wasn’t happening, that Billy was there with him. That Billy would be excited that the three of them were together again, but _Billy was dead._

He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself before shakily opening the door. Tommy’s standing there grinning, he somehow has even more freckles than before, skin tanned, hair slightly red. He looks good and Steve’s heart sinks. He wants to cry, he can’t do this, he can’t tell Tommy, _Billy was dead_. He doesn’t want to do this. Tommy doesn’t even realise that something is wrong, too happy, too worked up. He flings himself at Steve, wrapping his arms firmly around Steve’s neck, laughing happily. All Steve can do is wrap his arms around Tommy and breathe him in.

Tommy is there. Billy isn’t there. Tommy is alive. _Billy is dead_.

Tommy pulls away from him and Steve wants to pull him back, hold onto him and sob. But he doesn’t. He follows Tommy further into the house as he chats about his vacation. He had no idea what is about to happen, has no clue that Steve is about to ruin his life. They’ll never be the same. It terrifies Steve. He can’t lose Tommy too. He can’t. He doesn’t know what he’ll do without either of them. He needs Billy too. He loves Billy.

Tommy twists around, a soft smile still on his face, “It’s not like Hargrove to be late, what happened you two break up again?” Steve wants to laugh, wants to find the joke, he wants Billy to be alive and throw something at Tommy for being a dick. He can’t though and all he wants to do is cry, “I told you guys before I’m still gonna bang both of you, even if you do hate each other.”

“Tommy-”

“I still can’t believe you got a job at scoops. I can’t believe you started after I left. Do you still have the shorts?”

“Tommy-”

Tommy steps into Steve’s space, biting down on his lip, giving Steve the sultriest eyes he’s seen in a while, “Will you put them on for me?” Tommy’s pouting, Steve wants the ground to open and swallow him up. He can’t do this. It hurts so much. “We can have some fun while Hargrove comes to his senses and rushes over to beg for forgiveness.”

Steve breaks when Tommy leans in for a kiss, he frantically pushes Tommy away. It’s so hard that Tommy stumbles, falling into the back of the couch. Steve can’t handle the hurt confused look on Tommy’s face. Everything was falling apart, and Steve couldn’t handle it. It was wrong. Billy should be there.

“What the fuck Steve?” The hurt pouring through Tommy’s voice, shatters Steve’s heart. He just can’t do that, not when _Billy is dead_.

“ _Tommy_ , please.” Steve doesn’t recognise his own voice, he’s trying his hardest not to break down and sob, he spent all week doing that. He can hold off for five minutes to tell Tommy, “We need to talk.”

The realisation that something is wrong - really wrong, dawns on Tommy’s face. He nods slowly, he looks terrified, Tommy knows Steve. He knows that Steve wouldn’t be acting like this unless something was seriously wrong. Steve drags his hand down his face, taking deep breaths composing himself before he looks back up at Tommy.

Steve doesn’t really how to say it out loud. He doesn’t want to say it out loud.

“Steve you’re scaring me. What’s happened?” Tommy is so quiet and gentle and that’s when Steve crumbles. He’s sobbing, sinking to the floor, choking on his sobs and his curls into himself. Tommy rushes over to him, cradling in his arms, holding him tight. Steve clings onto Tommy, everything hurts and it’s only going to get worse.

Once, Steve calms down, he twists in Tommy’s arms so he’s facing him. This is it. The moment he has to tell Tommy.

Tommy’s hand cradles the side of his face, it’s a warm comfort to the horror that’s about to happen. He closes his eyes, leaning into Tommy’s hand.

“Something happened. Something really bad.” Steve chokes out, voice raw from all the crying. What makes everything worse is that he has to lie. He can’t tell Tommy the whole truth. He can’t tell him that a monster killed Billy, and that monster possessed him and made him do horrible things. He has to tell Tommy the cover up, “Bil-fuck-Billy. He’s a fucking hero ok. He saved a bunch of people. People would be dead if it wasn’t for him. He saved his little sister. He’s a fucking a hero.”

Steve tears up again as Tommy puts together what he’s about to say.

“Stevie.” Tommy swallows, “ _Don’t_ , don’t say what I think you’re going to say.”

Steve sobs, “I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, _Billy died_. Fuck. Tommy, he’s dead.”

Tommy is shaking his head like he can’t believe it, part of Steve still can’t believe it, “He can’t. He can’t. Steve.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry, Tommy.”

Steve doesn’t know how long they both sit there holding onto each other, crying. All he knows is that Tommy is equally as devastated as he is. Nothing is ever going to be the same again. Billy was apart of them. They were a three, not a two, it was meant to be the three of them forever. They had plans. They were going to move to California, they were going to be happy. Everything’s changed. Steve feels numb. He can’t even imagine his life without Billy in it. He doesn’t even know if his life can go on without Billy, it feels wrong. Like he’s betraying Billy.

The two of them don’t move from their space on the floor. Tommy’s curled into Steve’s chest. He’s rubbing circles on Tommy’s back, Tommy’s own hand is curled into Steve’s shirt. Clutching so hard like Steve might vanish. Steve’s face hurts from all the tears, his throat dry, he knows he probably looks all red and splotchy. He feels drained, Tommy must feel the same.

There isn’t much they can do now. Just mourn Billy. Remember Billy. Love Billy forever.

They’ll be ok. Steve knows they will. Just nothing will fill the Billy shaped hole in their lives.

They’ll be ok, they have to be.

For Billy.


End file.
